BY MICHAEL LANSU AND RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Chicago Sun-Times
A Far South Side teenager was ordered held in lieu of $1 million bond Thursday on murder and robbery charges tied to a botched hold up that left his alleged gun-toting accomplice dead.
Devante Graham was charged with his cohort’s death based on the theory of accountability after an off-duty Cook County sheriff’s sergeant killed the teen when he was robbed by the younger men Monday night at a Citgo gas station in the 700 block of East 103rd Street, authorities said.
The officer was pumping gas when Graham, 17, Deonta Mackey, and a third person approached and surrounded him, Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Claire Savaglio said.
Armed with a 9 mm semi automatic gun, Mackey, 16, threatened the officer’s life and demanded he turn over his money and everything from his pockets, Savaglio said.
Graham, who had his hands in his pockets, further motioned for the officer to hurry up, Savaglio said.
The officer gave Mackey money and gum while the third offender allegedly went into the officer’s car and started rummaging through the glove box.
At that point, Mackey, still pointing his gun at the officer, asked him to give him his wallet and car keys.
That’s when the officer reached into his pockets, grabbed his gun and shot Mackey.
Once the shots were fired, Graham and the other person fled, Savaglio said.
The entire incident was captured on nearby video surveillance cameras and the officer identified Graham as one of the men in the trio who robbed him, Savaglio said.
After the shooting, many Chicago Public School students told authorities that Graham, and the uncharged co-offender had posted pictures of themselves with guns on Facebook, Savaglio said.
Upon further investigation, detectives learned that one of the weapons in the pictures was used in the deadly robbery, Savaglio said.
The weapon has been recovered.
Graham, who turned himself into police, is a student at Corliss High School, according to his attorney Donna A. Rotunno.
Outside of court, Rotunno said prosecutors are relying mostly on circumstantial evidence against her client.
“All they have is the video we have all seen,” she said.
Graham, of the 10300 block of South Corliss Avenue, was found delinquent as a juvenile for aggravated battery in 2010 and for criminal damage to property in 2011.
The third suspect remains at large.